February 2008

TO: ALL AFFILIATES

Dear Sisters and Brothers,

Re:  OFL Women’s Equality Campaign

On January 28, 2008 the Executive Board and Council endorsed a Women’s Equality Campaign.  We have further details on our campaign, upcoming events and actions with the Equal Pay Coalition and the Ontario Coalition for Better Child Care. 

The Equal Pay Coalition’s work is raising the issue of pay discrimination suffered by thousands of women across Ontario.  For example, many child care workers and social service agency workers are still fighting for rates of pay the Pay Equity Act required back in 1993. 

The labour movement has long identified that child care is a foundation stone to women’s equality. The OFL and the Ontario Coalition for Better Child Care continue our work in pressing the Ontario government to establish the next social programme, a child care system.  Imagine finally having a system in place which would mean everyone having access to high quality, regulated, publicly funded and not-for-profit delivery of child care.  No worries about finding quality, affordable care for babies and young children.  We need to win on both the equal pay and the child care issues.

Attached is a list of the activities being carried out with the Equal Pay Coalition, which includes an online petition. Also attached is the list of activities with the Ontario Coalition for Better Child Care.  We will continue to update you on the campaign’s activities. All of the campaign’s materials and actions will be posted on the OFL’s website http://www.ofl.ca. In the coming month, we will develop materials and actions on a number of issues such as violence against women with a focus on workplace violence, women’s right to barrier free access to a union.  Please share this with your members and encourage all to do what they can to join in. 

If you need further information, please contact , the OFL’s Director for Women’s Issues (416.443.7670).

In solidarity,

IRENE HARRIS
Secretary-Treasurer

Encl.

cc: W. Samuelson, T. Downey
OFL Women’s Committee

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